Tanzania has called for immediate global action to address the growing threat of rising sea levels, warning that the impacts are already being felt by communities, economies, and ecosystems. Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi, representing President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, spoke at the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise in New York. He emphasized that the threat can no longer be treated as a future risk, but a current reality affecting people's lives.
The challenge of rising sea levels is particularly significant for Tanzania due to its Indian Ocean coastline, Zanzibar, and other islands, where communities depend on fishing, tourism, trade, and other coastal and marine activities. Coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, and flooding are among the threats affecting communities, infrastructure, and economic activities. Tanzania is taking measures to address the challenge, including strengthening coastal protection, restoring mangroves and other ecosystems, improving water security, and advancing community-led climate change adaptation.
However, Vice-President Ndejembi stressed that national efforts alone cannot address a challenge of global scale. He called for climate finance that is adequate, predictable, and more accessible to developing countries and vulnerable coastal communities. The high-level meeting brought together United Nations member states, leaders, experts, and other stakeholders to strengthen international cooperation on rising sea levels. The discussions focused on protecting lives and economic activities in coastal areas, strengthening early-warning systems, and promoting nature-based solutions.
The meeting followed the 2024 High-Level Meeting, which placed sea-level rise firmly on the international agenda and was expected to produce a joint declaration aimed at strengthening global action and the capacity of vulnerable countries to respond to rising sea levels. Tanzania supported the adoption of the declaration by consensus while stressing the need to translate commitments into concrete action and tangible results.
For Tanzania, implementation of the commitments could strengthen access to climate finance, technology, early-warning systems, and support for resilient infrastructure, with implications for coastal communities and sectors such as tourism, fisheries, and other blue-economy activities. The country's efforts to address rising sea levels are crucial for its economic development and the well-being of its citizens.
Vice-President Ndejembi emphasized the interconnected nature of the oceans, requiring countries to work together to address challenges affecting them. He stated that the rising level of the oceans should unite countries in taking collective action. The international community must work together to address the global challenge of rising sea levels and support vulnerable countries in their efforts to adapt and respond.
The United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise concluded with a renewed commitment to address the growing threat of rising sea levels. Tanzania and other countries will continue to push for global action and cooperation to protect lives, economies, and ecosystems from the impacts of rising sea levels. The country's call for action serves as a reminder of the urgent need for collective action to address this global challenge.
Key points
- Tanzania calls for faster and more accessible climate finance to address rising sea levels.
- The country emphasizes the need for global cooperation to address the interconnected challenges of the oceans.
- Tanzania is taking measures to address the challenge, including strengthening coastal protection and restoring mangroves.
